Control arm and a method for forming the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387534-B2
Application number	US-201414473093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2014
Priority date	Aug 29, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A method for forming a control arm is provided. The method includes providing an insert and a mold and also includes overcasting the insert within a metal in the mold. The insert defines a recess that is shaped for receiving a mating component. After the insert is overcast within the metal, the mating component may be positioned or mounted within the recess of the insert. A related control arm is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a vehicle control arm, comprising:
forming an insert that defines a recess shaped for receiving an end portion of a torsion bar;
positioning the insert within a mold, the mold defining a void that corresponds to a shape of the vehicle control arm;
casting a metal over the insert within the mold in order to form a cast arm of the vehicle control arm with the metal and the insert, the insert partially encased within the metal after the metal is cast over the insert within the mold such that the metal does not fill the recess of the insert; and
removing the vehicle control arm from the mold after said step of casting, the recess positioned for receiving the end portion of the torsion bar between a bushing support and a ball joint support on the vehicle control arm after removing the vehicle control arm from the mold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises steel and the cast arm comprises iron.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insert comprises iron, steel or aluminum and the cast arm also comprises iron, steel or aluminum.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mold comprises sand, said step of positioning comprising casting the insert within a sand-core and positioning the sand-core inside the mold.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the mold, said step of positioning comprising mounting the insert within the mold after said step of forming.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recess of the insert is not broached after said step of casting.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of forming comprises cutting the insert from a tubing or an extrusion.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of forming comprises cold forming the insert from a wire or a blank.

9. A control arm for a vehicle, comprising:
an arm extending between a first end portion and a second end portion;
a bushing support positioned at the first end portion of the arm;
a ball joint support positioned at the second end portion of the arm;
an insert overcast within the arm such that at least a portion of the insert is disposed within the arm, the insert defining a recess for receiving a torsion bar, the recess shaped for transmitting torsion between the control arm and torsion bar, the insert positioned adjacent the first end portion of the arm and between the bushing support and the ball joint support on the arm.

10. The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert is constructed of a first material and the arm is constructed with a second material, the first and second materials being different.

11. The control arm of claim 10 , wherein the first material comprises steel and the second material comprises iron.

12. The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert and the arm are constructed with a common material.

13. The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the recess of the insert is a hexagonal recess.

14. The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert has a plurality of projections that extend into cast metal of the arm such that the projections of the plurality of projections inhibit rotation of the insert relative to the arm.

15. The control arm of claim 9 , wherein the insert has an oval outer surface or a polygonal outer surface in order to inhibit rotation of the insert relative to the arm.

16. A method for forming a vehicle control arm, comprising:
forming an insert that defines a recess shaped for receiving an end portion of a torsion bar;
providing a mold, the mold defining a void, the void of the mold conforming to a shape of the vehicle control arm;
overcasting the insert within a metal in the mold, the insert partially encased within the metal after the insert is overcast within the metal in the mold such that the metal does not fill the recess of the insert; and
removing the vehicle control arm from the mold after said step of overcasting, the recess positioned for receiving the end portion of the torsion bar between a bushing support and a ball joint support on the vehicle control arm after removing the vehicle control arm from the mold.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the insert comprises steel and a cast arm of the vehicle control arm comprises iron.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming the mold and positioning the insert within the mold prior to said step of overcasting.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein said step of forming comprises cutting the insert from a tubing or an extrusion.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein said step of forming comprises cold forming the insert from a wire or a blank.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Holmes Eric
• Hopkinson Harold
• Jones Barbara

Classifications

• B60G11/181

  arranged in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G2202/132

  comprising a longitudinal torsion bar and/or tube · CPC title

• B22D19/16

  for making compound objects cast of two or more different metals, e.g. for making rolls for rolling mills (casting compound ingots B22D7/02) · CPC title

• B60G2206/8101

  by casting · CPC title

• B60G3/20 Primary

  all arms being rigid · CPC title